A perfect sexy and sweet read for the holiday season. I don't even know where to start, with the hot irish man or the amazing workaholic woman?
Or maybe with the ex who we all agree to hate? Or maybe with how perfectly cozy the ski resort was described?
See, i dont't know where to start!
This was everything I needed for a holiday book. The chemistry, the writing, the decriptions and the plot! Perfect!

This book was far too heavy on the cheese factor for me.

I was so excited when I saw the main characters were older, but I could not get behind this story or this couple at all.

I quite liked this one! I found it to be a unique festive romance story with two middle aged adults as the focus. While age-wise, I didn’t fully relate to Ashley and Madigan, I did love that the romance was set up like an NA romance. I could picture this story becoming a Christmas movie for sure!

Personally not for me. I tried to get into it and even gave it two different tries in case it was a mood thing, but I was not able to get past the first 15%. I know a lot of other readers will love this book though.

I liked the overall message and the content, but it was too slow for me and there was too much telling and not enough showing with the writing style.

For some reason I expected more nods to the nineties and grunge in general? Some of the dialogue was very cheesy and cringey (this age group is old but not totally uncool, lol.) The conflict was weird and resolution too easy. The relationship with her mom (and calling her Maude Alice) even weirder. I get that they were at odds but it was a very strange mother/daughter relationship, to the point where I wondered if she was her step mom and I just missed that mention, but no, it was her actual mother.

Like I said, I found the message and story well meaning, just didn't enjoy the execution.

Since the character were a bit older then what I am used to it was harder for me to relate to them. I did really enjoy the plot and this book was a good easy read for me.

Come As You Are by Jess K Hardy
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Ashley will do just about anything to save her family’s ski hill. Matthew is a recovering addict who runs a sober living house and needs to find a place for his guys to work. When Matthew approaches Ashley with a deal, they both get more that they bargained for.
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What I liked:
-I loved the sparks between Ashley and Matthew. I loved how their budding relationship helped each other too.
-I loved this ski hill and I was fully invested in it prospering!!!
-These guys from the sober loving home really won me over and I loved how they had each other’s backs and really worked well with everyone.
-I LOVED when the ex-husband got told off.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Jess K Hardy for the eARC of Come As you Are

For those who aren’t familiar: an arc is and advanced reader copier which is NOT a final draft of the book. It is likely still undergoing proofreading and possibly developmental changes. As such, some comments in my review may not be accurate to the final copy!!! I've also excluded any typos for the same reason.

Pros:
Insta lust is kinda believable because these are two grown adults who have not had sex in a long time and are around the opposite sex much.
Lovable side characters. I hope/anticipate they get their own books.
The conflicts between the main couple don't take forever to resolve. Instead they work together to tackle a greater problem, which is nice.
I've never read a romance following a couple in their 40s-50s, and I think that it's good that the publishing industry is starting to realize that your chance of love doesn't stop at 35.

Cons:
insta lust
Everyone but the main villain is just a little too perfect. It's very Hallmark-esque, in a way. Should romance be super realistic? God no, what fun would that be? Should it be a little more real, I think so, but maybe I just want to watch the world burn. I feel like we missed so much relationship development behind the scenes of other friendships and relationships, which makes the overly sweet ending feel so abrupt. I think these relationships would have benefited from more fleshing out.

Final thoughts: I really enjoyed it. May even read it again in the winter. It's cute, and I'll probably read the second one.

Couldn't really relate to characters and the pace of the storyline was too slow for my taste.
. But the romance was so swoon worthy.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I thoroughly enjoyed this romance between Ashley - 46, divorced, mum to daughter Davis (a very interesting name choice) and owner of a family run ski resort - and Madigan - 53, ex-drug addict, ex-rockstar, and Boss of a sober living home. They were both complicated people with layers, and they seemed so real. Their journey both together and separately was well executed and enjoyable to read.
I loved the setting of the ski resort/mountain, it was fun and not one I've read much.
There were a few extremely steamy scenes which were well written, and each one was different enough that I didn't get bored of them. They also actually helped move the plot forward or acted in developing character, which can't often be said.
The cast of side characters was great, and the depiction of the men from the sober living home seemed really well done (I have no life experience with addicts or ex-cons). There's a Saint Bernard trainee rescue dog, Murphy, who is easily the best character and such a good boy.
Honestly, I think the biggest thing I don't like about this book is the art style of the cover. There's just something not quite right about it, but that's just personal preference. I'm glad I didn't let it put me off the book.

I really enjoyed this Romcom. Firstly I absolutely loved the setting of the ski resort because that's my world but not enough books are set there. Secondly it was a romance between adults that have already lived through a lot of life, so it was a different perspective to a lot of other romance novels out there.

Ashley is trying to keep her small town ski resort Bluebird afloat so with her mothers help she organises to have a group of reformed criminals come to help with winter operations. Instantly she is attracted to leader Madigan. Both have their own baggage to overcome for them to be together.

I love the main characters and cast of side characters that make Bluebird such a beautiful community. A great small town romance!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was great to see a sober living home and people in recovery as well as a couple older than their 20-30s represented in a romance novel.

I can’t believe it took me so long to read this book. It was so refreshing to read a story with older main characters, and I loved everything about it. I highly recommend this book!

An older adult romance!!! My actual favorite, I love this representation! This was a picture perfect romance, 5 stars!

OMG this one,... it surprised me so positively, I loved it and really enjoyed reading it. This is a story about family, family drama, struggle, love, compassion, and forgiveness. Everything is so well-written, Madigan so different H but yet so lovable, with Ashley they make wonderful story and romance.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgalley

Loved loved loved this book! This was the perfect palate cleanser and I loved the charactersGo in blind and enjoy!

This was a cute, romantic, emotional book. I enjoyed that it was a love story of an older age group and that it included addiction that is rare to be seen as something that can be positive especially from the perspective of facilities that are helping them trying to get their lives back together. I appreciate the opportunity to read and this ARC

Dear publishers,

Thanks for letting me read your book.
I've spend a really nice time.

I really loved the untypical story.

This book was good. I thought I'd like it a lot more because I loved the follow-up book, featuring a different couple.

When I read "Lips Like Sugar" I loved it so much!! It featured an adult romance that blossomed under stressed circumstances. This book was much the same, however, since I read it second (I didn't know this book existed when I read LLS), it didn't knock me over or anything.

I was entertained and kept reading, but it was only ok for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Come As You Are is a beautiful, sexy and heartwarming story of second chances in life and love. I love both the FMC and the MMC. Early on, I felt very connected to both Ashley and Madigan (Matthew). Their back stories make you want to cheer for them and root for their ultimate happiness. Ashley's vulnerabilities after her tough marriage is very realistic. The best part about this book for me are the side characters. I love the men of Little Timber. Like Ashley and Matt, you can't help but root for these men who are proving day in and day out they deserve the chance to do over after their mistakes.

That being said, I feel like I only rated it 3 stars because I felt like the love was too instant. There was no build up for both Ashley and Matt to get to that point of love. Because of this, I felt like it was too rushed. It also dragged on towards the end when there were conflicts back to back. I just wished there was more focused on developing the relationship. Overall, I still liked the book and would highly recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to received an eARC for this book in exchange for my honest review.